Manship pitches Irish to conference clincher

COLLEGE BASEBALL

COLLEGE BASEBALL

May 20, 2006

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. -- Jeff Manship made a strong final statement for Big East pitcher of the year honors and had a hand in four of the team's runs as 19th-ranked Notre Dame clinched the conference regular-season title with Friday's 6-2 win over Villanova. The Irish have reached 40 wins for the 17th time in the past 18 seasons and have posted 20 wins in league play for the fourth time, with no other team ever reaching 20 victories in 22 seasons of Big East baseball. Notre Dame (40-14-1 overall, 20-5-1 Big East) claimed its sixth regular-season title in 11 Big East seasons and next will look to complete its fifth three-game sweep of the season, in today's series finale versus Villanova. The Irish then will set their sights on winning a fifth consecutive Big East Tournament title, with their first-round opponent (and game time) still to be determined for that opening game on May 23 in Clearwater, Fla. Manship (9-1) allowed just one earned run (and an unearned run) on five hits and one walk. He became the fourth pitcher in Notre Dame history to eclipse 100 strikeouts in a season (102). NOTRE DAME 6, VILLANOVA 2At Plymouth Meeting, Pa. Notre Dame 000 201 201 - 6 9 1 Villanova 000 000 020 - 2 7 0 (W, 9-1), (8) and . Mike Loree (3-7), Steve Wendler (7) and Jim Gillin. 2B: (ND), (ND), (ND), (ND), Ryan Arcadia (VU).